Chapter 36

Every creak, every clang, and every clatter burdened the already heavy hearts of the tired travelers. The darkness remained mostly lacking in noise, but that only furthered their suspicion.

After their last encounter, Emma and Boris refused to let their guard down, even for a second. The handheld flare that lit their surroundings with its heated red glow had already decayed. Left with no other options, the two opted for their flashlights which regularly cast deceitful shadows and only allowed for a narrow field of vision.

The path to be traveled was still plentiful, but their stamina was nearly depleted. At times, their eyes would waver without their acknowledgment, only to be shaken awake by the most minuscule of sound. Boris and Emma were not the only ones who wore an exhausted expression, for Anya, too, felt her strength fade. The tedious journey on foot drained her, but it was not the only thing that plagued her mind. She could hear it, no, she felt it: the calls of the Brood. The swarm followed them, just barely out of sight. Those faint noises and shifting shadows, they were the ones that wandered too close.

“Anya?” Emma gently patted the child’s head with her hand. The woman forced a smile on her face as to not further worry the child. “We’ll be there soon, okay? Just hold on for a bit longer.”

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

Anya lowered her face to hide her brooding expression and tugged on Emma’s robe.

“What is it, Anya?” Emma asked.

“I…” she hesitated.

“You…?” the woman questioned.

“I have to use the bathroom!” Anya shouted with conviction.

“What, right now?!”

“Y-yeah…” the girl muttered meekly, reverting to a shy posture.

Sigh. Emma turned her head and searched their immediate surroundings with her flashlight until a relatively ‘safe’ structure came into view.

“That building looks fine.”

“I do not get it.” Boris scratched his scruffy chin as he spoke, “Just do it anywhere, nobody will care.”

Anya immediately blushed and she shook her head frantically in disagreement.

“I-I can’t do that!”

“What? Why not, little one?”

“B-B-Because I’m a girl?!”

The chuckling man threw his hands back and imitated an expression of bewilderment.

“What? Really? And here I thought you are confused man.”

Anya’s face further reddened, the girl puffed her cheeks and stomped her foot.

“No, I’m not!”

“Boris, stop teasing her.” The woman curled her fingers and covered her mouth, veiling her laughter.

“Ha, it was little joke for little girl. Worry all gone now, no?”

Anya softened her stance and stared at Emma, she noticed that the woman was giggling too, despite the attempts to hide it. The contagious smile soon found its way onto her cheeks. All of the tension that infested the air soon thinned, and for a short moment, the three basked in the comfort of each other's company.

“But, seriously,” the girl suddenly declared. “I have to go!” The child motioned her unease, stepping from side to side while holding her stomach.

“Alright, let’s go.” Emma ushered the child toward the building while Boris stayed behind and sipped his bottle of liquor.

“You girls go, I will guard here.” The man then shook his bottle in the air and smiled. “Do not take too long, I no have much left.”

Once the two arrived at the entrance of the four-story structure, Anya dashed in front of Emma. The girl lifted her hand and motioned the woman to stop.

“P-P-Please wait outside,” the child stuttered. “I need my privacy.”

“Anya, it’s not safe here. It’s better if I-”

“Privacy!”

Emma sighed, she knew that the child was not going to listen.

“Alright, but if anything happens, just call for me and I’ll be right there.”

“Uh-huh!” Anya nodded.

Emma turned around and leaned her back against the wall next to the entrance as the child quickly entered the building. Anya glanced around. She saw that half of the structure was missing, the backside crumbled at a slant beginning at the topmost floor. Cold air breezed her cheeks. She walked toward the stairs which were still usable. Anya needed to be sure that she would not be heard. With footwork as quiet as muted mice, she ascended the steps until she reached the fourth floor. As she cleared the stairway, Anya shivered from the cold. She leaned over and looked down and shivered again as the height made her feel dizzy. The child instantly dropped to the floor in a crouch to avoid falling. Anya slowly distanced herself from the ledge that made her heart waver. Eventually, she found enough strength to stand up again.

“Come out,” the child demanded. “I know you’re here.”

Out from the broken wall, arrived a product of unholy mutilation. A mangled work of limbs, the creature oriented itself on the intact flooring before it spoke from all three of its synchronized mouths.

“You are safe. The Brood stands by. We are at your disposal.”

The irritated child stared at the creature with her arms crossed.

“You sure took your time.”

The Abomination lowered its body in a sort of a bow.

“Experienced difficulties. Hazardous obstacles. Could not be bypassed. This one apologizes.”

“Obstacles?” the child furrowed her brow. “Like what?”

“Sound. High pitched noise. Origins unknown. Effects. Disorienting. Damaging. Does not affect other organisms. Directed toward us.”

“High pitched noise..?” Anya remembered the strange noise that tore her mind apart right before she fell into the underground city as well as the sense of unease that befell her when she traversed through the metropolis. “Do you know what’s causing it?”

“Could not approach source. Vibrations ruptured cells over prolonged exposure. Annoyance from afar. Fatal up close.”

“Hmm… those structures were built by the Ancients… Why would they…?”

“Creator of abhorrent noise identified… Interesting implications. Will require further research.”

Questions began to fill the child’s head. She wondered why the Ancients would create a device that specifically targeted them.

“Wait,” the child voiced. “Why didn’t I hear it on the way out?”

“Noise generator surrounds area. Periodically fails at random locations. Area monitored by Watchers. Brood not quick enough to breach. Latest attempt led us to you. Led to encounter.” The creature paused for a moment. “We are on standby. The two humans are surrounded. What are your orders?”

“Do not hurt them.” The girl commanded as she glared at the Abomination. “They saved my life.”

The creature bowed once again.

“Escort not sufficient. This one apologizes.”

“I’m not blaming you, it’s not like you knew that it was going to happen. And besides, no one expected to fight living machines.”

The creature straightened its posture and approached in interest.

“Living machines. Intriguing. Capable of defeating Berserker. Infester optimized for biological organisms.”

Anya backed off slightly to distance herself. She was somewhat used to the creatures’ appearances, but not the strange smell.

“Inclusion of Infester was regrettable. Will factor into future-”

“Her name was Sarah,” Anya interrupted. “She had a name and she gave up her life for me. Stop referring to her as ‘Infester!’”

“Strange…” It tapped its fingers together rhythmically. “We do not have names. Implies individuality. Dangerous. Will amend.”

The girl was not sure what the creature meant by that last statement and decided to move on.

“So, did you approach me only to check up on me?”

“Primary objective to confirm safety. Secondary. To report current circumstances. My Queen.”

“Current circumstances? Like what?”

“General overview. Expanding brood in Queen’s absence. We are growing. Becoming stronger.”

“Expanding? Well, are there any… casualties?”

“Net gain incurred. Concerns unneeded.”

“That’s not what I asked!” The child tightened her fists and stomped toward the creature. “I asked for how many we’ve lost.”

Taken back, the creature remained silent for a short while.

“Including yesterday’s altercation. Forty-six lost. However net gain-”

“We were supposed to keep them safe!” Anya shouted but made sure she was not loud enough to be heard by the two others down below.

“Complete avoidance of injury difficult. Nature of conflict requires risk. Hosts do not surrender peaceably.”

“Then do something about it!”

The Abomination contemplated in silence.

“Understood. Adjusting to strategic alterations. Tactical maneuvers will be amended. However. Complete avoidance of casualties will be unlikely.”

Anya bit into her lips, to her, the creatures were more than just a means to achieve her goal. They were her comrades. In exchange for their freedom and allegiance, the Brood granted the inducted safety as well as a common purpose to strive for. Although the creatures were mutated, the girl knew that they were still human on the inside. The affection Anya felt from Sarah was real, and so was the guilt she felt from her companion’s death. The girl did not want to lose anyone else; even if they were not special to her, they were special to someone. Still, she understood that it would be impossible to progress without any sacrifices. The people of these lands did not accept the creatures, hence why they must resort to force.

“Just… just do what you can…” The girl mumbled.

“Understood. This one will see to it.”

It took a moment of silence before Anya could suppress her unpleasant thoughts. The child shook her head and slapped her own cheeks.

“So, was that it?” she questioned afterward.

“One remaining matter requires overview. Regarding rapidly decreasing temperatures and low points more severe as memory suggests.”

“What do you mean?”

“Brood not adapted to low temperatures. Decreased mobility. Increased caloric consumption. Bodily function inversely proportional to temperature trend. Hive will also be affected.”

“Can’t we just increase food portions?”

“Not advised. Heat production never a design constraint. The Brood is not efficient. Limited acquisition prohibits the complete fulfillment of demand. Hive metabolism will decrease. Chain effect expected.”

“Then can’t you just make them adapt?”

“Evolution expensive. Will further emphasize shortage. If alternate heat source not found. Will be forced into aggressive expansion or cannibalization of nonessentials.”

“C-C-Cannibalize?!” Anya swallowed audibly. “A-And what if those options don’t work?”

The creature lowered its form closer to the child. In its harmonious yet unsettling deep voice, the creature responded.

“Possible extinction.”

***

After their brief pitstop, the group continued on with the rest of their long journey. Shortly into their travels, Emma noticed that something was off. Anya did not complain like she usually would. Instead, the child remained silent, wearing a worried look.

“What’s wrong, Anya?” the woman asked.

“Nothing…” The girl answered timidly while shaking her head. “I’m just… tired…”

“Hey, leave little girl alone,” Boris interjected. “She had hard shit, give her rest. Happens to everyone, no?” He then patted the girl’s back. “You see, trick is to drink water. Then it will slide out like-”

“Boris!” Emma yelled. “You need to stop.”

The man threw his hands up.

“Alright, alright, it was joke!”

As the man grumbled away, Emma approached the child and gave her a comforting head rub.

“We’re almost there, just hang on for a bit longer.”

Anya lifted her drooping head and stared at the woman with narrowed eyes.

“You said the same thing hours ago.”

“Well, this time I mean it.” Emma continued to massage the child.

“Hey, Emma?” The girl suddenly called.

“Hmm? What is it?”

“Can you help me find something?”

“What is it?”

“A silent generator.”

“A wha-?” Bewildered by the strange request, the woman pressed on. “A silent generator? Why?”

“For reasons…”

“Well, can you tell me?”

The child shook her head.

“I just need it,” the girl claimed.

Ignoring the nature of the request, Emma searched through her memories. She recalled various ways of generating electricity, but all of them made noise of some sort.

“I’ve never heard of a ‘silent’ generator before…” Upon seeing the child’s teary eyes, the woman quickly appended to her statement. “B-But there are some that are really quiet! I think. Maybe one of those will work.”

“Really?” The girl’s eyes glittered and her sadness vanished.

“Yeah… I’ll see what I can find.”

Anya quickly embraced Emma from the side.

“Thank you, thank you!” she repeated as she dug her face into Emma’s cloak. Emma continued to gently pat the girl’s head with her hand. Every moment spent with the child, though frustrating at times, brought forth a tender and joyous feeling she had grown fond of. She wanted to stop walking to seize the moment, but she thought it would be best to keep pressing forward as to not delay their arrival any longer.

...

“Anya, look,” Emma whispered to the girl who still had her face pressed into the fabric.

The girl’s gaze first went to Emma before she followed the woman’s finger off into the distance. Her mouth and eyes opened wide in amazement at the sight that was displayed. There were large and brightly lit walls of massive proportions. Massive gates allowed entrance into the shining city and behind the gates were colossal towers that scraped the skies and stood even taller than the massive structure that hosted the hive. Even from afar, Anya saw the various colored signs that littered the place. The city seemed almost magical, as if she was dreaming. Within the city’s sphere of influence, she saw neither shadows nor the ever-encroaching void.

“Wow…” the child muttered in awe, for this was the first time she had ever seen Luminus, the City of Lights.